Whatever it takes
Young People’s Education,
Employment and Training Strategy
for Northumberland 2008-2011
Introduction
At any time during the year, over 900 young people in Northumberland
between the ages of 16 and 18 are not engaged in any form of
education, employment or training (NEET).
While the reasons for this are many and various,
there is no doubt that many of these young
people will be seriously disadvantaged as they
progress into the labour market and into adult
life generally – and that the county could face
major economic and skill shortage problems in
the future unless there is a concerted effort to
improve this situation.
The Government will require all young people
under the age of 18 to be participating in
learning by 2015. Northumberland is unlikely to
achieve this target if partners don’t build on
good practice across the county and work
together to do Whatever it Takes!
This three year strategy sets out how partner
organisations in Northumberland are being
challenged to work collaboratively to drive up
the number of young people who are
successfully engaged in Education, Employment
and Training (EET).
It is complemented by a checklist for partners to
benchmark current working practices and plans
against the strategy and to aid continuous
improvement.
Key partners in this process will include all
schools, colleges, training providers, youth
support services, Voluntary and Community
Sector (VCS) organisations, employers, local
authorities, health partners, parents, peers
and everyone involved and concerned with
young people in Northumberland. Indications
from Government are that increasing the
numbers of young people who are successfully
engaged in education, employment and training
is now more than ever a collective challenge.
1
Schools are being given targets to increase
participation and promote community
cohesion;
European resources demand collaborative
projects to support our young people and;
14-19 reforms are challenging the norm of
how we provide learning whilst putting
the reduction of the number of young
people classified as not in education,
employment or training (NEET)
centrestage.
This strategic statement has been
collaboratively prepared by a task group
established by the Families and Children’s
Trust (FACT), and Northumberland Strategic
Partnership (NSP).
It has been endorsed by FACT and NSP
Board as the collective strategy for the
county following the final consultation
phase in November 2007.
The strategy is firmly based on both the
analysis of relevant data and the views of
partners, gathered through widespread
discussions and debate during 2007. It sets out a
series of challenges with key actions to more
effectively support young people to progress
successfully into education, employment and
training in the future.
Why bother?
In Northumberland, as in the rest of the region and
UK, unemployment is at its lowest for a generation;
more young people are continuing in full time
education; crime figures have stabilised and in some
cases declined.
However, many young people in Northumberland are
currently excluded from opportunities that improved
prosperity has brought, as a consequence of a number of
interlinked social and economic factors. For 2007/08 the
average number of young people aged 16-18 who were
not in education, employment or training (NEET) was
8.1% for the County. This is a reduction of 1.9% on
2006/07 but still presents significant challenges.
The Northumberland Local Area Agreement target is to
reduce this figure to 5.7% by 2011.
Certain parts of the County have very high concentrations
of young people who are NEET. Although there are smaller
pockets elsewhere in the County, the areas where the
proportion of 16-18 year olds in the NEET group are currently
high are: (all figures from Connexions Northumberland
February 2008)
Ashington - 13%
Blyth - 13%
Bedlington - 10%
Amble - 12%
Research indicates that young people aged 16-19 who are
NEET for a prolonged period are most likely to encounter
problems in later life. For example, it has been shown that
being NEET for as little as six months is likely to mean that by
the age of 21 a young person is:
Four times more likely to be out of work
Three times more likely to have depression and mental
health issues
Five times more likely to have a criminal record
Six times less likely to have any qualifications
It is therefore clear that the current NEET problem stands in
the way of individuals and society achieving optimum
economic productivity and social inclusion.
In Northumberland, this has serious implications not only for
individuals and their families, but also for the economic
prosperity and well-being of the county.
Conversely there is plenty of evidence that young people who
remain in some form of education, employment or training
and achieve additional qualifications beyond the age of 16
have more ability to shape their own future and are much
more likely to:
secure sustainable employment,
adopt a healthy lifestyle and,
become responsible citizens and effective parents.
The Government has prioritised the need to ensure that
every young person remains in some form of learning
up to the age of 18.
Children and young people are a key priority for the
Northumberland Sustainable Community Strategy and
Learning for Life, the 2020 Vision for Learning whilst
achieving economic wellbeing is a key priority in the
Northumberland Children and Young People’s Plan.
We now urgently need to
address the barriers to
greater participation that
many young people may
face in Northumberland, in
order for all to reach their
potential.
Whatever it takes Young People’s Education, Employment and Training Strategy for Northumberland 2008-2011
2
Whatever it Takes
A STRATEGY FOR NORTHUMBERLAND
This strategy sets out a partnership pledge and vision which all partners are
urged to sign up to.
Partnership Vision
“All of Northumberland’s young people will have access to and successfully
engage in high quality education, employment and training opportunities
and enjoyable life experiences that meet their individual learning needs
and prepare them effectively for employment and adult life.”
Partnership Pledge to Young People
“We will do our best to ensure you get the support and opportunities you
need to make the best of your life – and to equip you for a great future for
yourself, your family and the community in which you live.”
3
Information,
advice & guidance
Learning
provision
Partnership
working
Employment
opportunities
Personalised
support
Priority Issues
Across the six themes there are some urgent priorities in
relation to supporting young people. Partnerships and
organisations need to work together to ask themselves
what they are doing to respond to the following questions:
Starting
early
A Jigsaw for Joint Action
Much of the support we provide to our young
people is effective, but there are still too many in
Northumberland who are losing out. There is no
one organisation at fault, as there has been
collective failure to take the action that will make
a real difference.
This has put at risk the well-being of a growing
number of young people, particularly those with
specific needs such as a learning and/or physical
disability, particular groups of young people such as
looked after children or more generally young people
living in some of our most deprived areas in South East
Northumberland and in areas of rural isolation.
This strategy sets out key priority issues which relate
to all partners and is based around six themes that
partners have identified as being crucial to supporting
young people to make successful transitions to adult
life. These form a “jigsaw” of actions, and the success
of the strategy will depend on progress being made in
all six areas.
How are you preventing young people from
disengaging in the first place?
How are you ensuring that successful practice is
sustained as mainstream provision?
How are you supporting those young people with
acute needs (e.g. those with disabilities or mental
health problems, looked after children, carers and
young parents)?
What methods are you using to find out what
young people think and which enable them to
influence service delivery?
How are you challenging the negative perceptions
of young people that some adults, including
employers, have?
How will you ensure that this strategy benefits all
young people, regardless of their background,
location and personal circumstances?
How are you capitalising on the strengths of the
voluntary and community sector?
4
The Six Themes
The strategy begins with Starting Early which covers
the crucial identification, referral and intervention
mechanisms that need to be implemented across the
county. This helps to prevent young people becoming
disengaged. To be effective, our approach will also focus
on strengthening protective factors and developing
children and young people’s inner strengths.
This includes developing good social skills, confidence
and the resilience to cope with the things life throws up
from the first day of school to managing money to
joining a club or applying for a job. It is the balance
and interaction of protection and proactive support
to starting early that will determine positive outcomes
at an early age.
Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG) emphasises
the importance of high quality, impartial support to help
young people make informed choices and take action
about learning, careers and lifestyle.
Learning Provision sets out the urgent need to develop
more accessible, high quality learning opportunities that
respond to both the needs of individuals and the
requirements of the economy.
Personalised Support recognises that some young
people have to overcome multiple barriers before they
can succeed in EET and that they therefore need
support from a variety of sources, tailored to their
individual needs.
The Employment Opportunities theme addresses the
current shortage of jobs with training available to young
people. It emphasises the need for a step change in this
area, including more effective support to employers and
increased opportunities for young people in the public
sector and its supply chain.
Finally Partnership Working reflects the fact that
everything in this strategy relies on joint action,
including changing the perceptions of young people in
our communities, increasing recognition of the role of
the voluntary and community sector (VCS) and ensuring
that all partners understand how they can contribute to
this agenda.
Theme 1
STARTING EARLY
Aims
a) To ensure that those children and young
people most at risk of failing to engage
successfully in EET are identified as early as
possible through effective recognition of
potential issues, data sharing and referral.
b) To ensure that targeted interventions and
support are secured in good time in order to
either eliminate and reduce risk factors by
securing appropriate provision
c) To ensure that early stage interventions
create life chances by harnessing individuals’
aspirations, attributes, talents and strengths.
What must happen within the next three years?
Everyone who works with children, young people and
families is equipped to recognise the early risk factors
that can lead to disengagement and act upon them
through collaboration.
Expand our knowledge and evidence base so we
secure interventions to develop resilience as a means
of achieving positive long term outcomes.
Move away from models that only focus on repairing
deficits, and instead recognise and develop strengths
and assets.
Systematic, cross-sector, risk-based processes are in
place to identify those children and young people
who are most likely to achieve poor outcomes.
There is an effective referral system to ensure that “at
risk” children and young people receive support from
the people or organisations that are best placed to
do so.
Prevention activity adopts a “whole community”
approach that effectively joins up support and activity
in the home, in the community and in formal
learning settings.
Early stage interventions and targeted activities are
sufficiently flexible and responsive to enable children
and young people to overcome barriers to successful
engagement.
5
Theme 2
INFORMATION, ADVICE AND
GUIDANCE (IAG)
Aims
To enable all young people to receive high
quality, impartial IAG, appropriate to their
needs, so that they can make informed choices
and take action about learning, careers and
lifestyle.
What must happen within the next three years?
All IAG provision in the county meets the National
Quality Standards for Young People’s Information,
Advice and Guidance.
All personnel providing IAG are appropriately
qualified and benefit from training and development
to improve their skills and update their knowledge.
Key workers and those acting as lead professionals
ensure that there is a strong focus on effective
transition and informed choice in the work they do to
support young people.
Impartial information and advice to support health
and wellbeing is available to all young people in a
variety of locations and through a range of media.
There are effective systems in place to provide
up-to-date, accessible careers information and
relevant labour market intelligence on all available
opportunities for use both by IAG professionals
and by young people themselves through a range
of media.
All young people benefit from careers education and
guidance that is impartial, free from bias, provided by
qualified professionals and based on a thorough
understanding of the economy and labour market.
Effective IAG is also available to other adults who can
positively influence the choices made by young
people, e.g. parents/carers, teachers, employers and
other professionals.
Whatever it takes Young People’s Education, Employment and Training Strategy for Northumberland 2008-2011
6
Theme 3
LEARNING PROVISION
Aim
To develop a pattern of accessible, high quality
learning provision, both formal and informal, that
meets employer demand and responds to the
needs, aspirations and potential of all young
people. Learning provision prepares them
effectively for adult and working life and enables
them to achieve appropriate qualifications.
What must happen within the next three years?
There is a wide range of appropriate high quality
learning opportunities to meet the needs of all young
people, including programmes that develop the skills,
qualities and attributes needed for sustainable
employment.
There is an increase in the number, range and quality
of formal and informal learning available at key
transition points, to provide seamless pathways of
learning for young people.
Enterprising behaviours are at the centre of learning
provision at all levels.
There has been a significant improvement in the
range, quality and availability of learning with
employment at the centre. This includes an
appropriate mix of foundation learning tier, diplomas,
apprenticeships and other work based and work
related learning opportunities.
7
More employers are involved in curriculum planning
to ensure that learning opportunities are designed to
meet the present and future needs of the economy.
Flexible and mobile provision has been developed to
respond to the challenges posed by the NEET group
and the needs of the most disadvantaged, including
those that live in isolated rural communities. Creditbased “bite size” learning opportunities are available
to contribute to the development of a foundation
learning tier in the county.
More effective systems have been developed to
enable young people to transfer smoothly from
one type of provision to another through improved
cross provider referral and a more flexible approach
to funding.
Funding complexities and constraints, particularly
with respect to learner numbers in urban and rural
contexts, have been addressed. New flexibilities have
been achieved to deliver joint young person / adult
learning opportunities.
Theme 4
PERSONALISED SUPPORT
Aim
To ensure that young people who are NEET, or who
are at risk of becoming NEET, are provided with
whatever support they need. This will be coordinated by a “trusted adult”, in order to
overcome the barriers that prevent successful
engagement in activity.
What must happen within the next three years?
The county’s framework for Integrated Services to
Young People has been successfully implemented,
with an appropriate balance between universal and
targeted services.
There is an effective network of all the statutory and
non-statutory agencies that support young people,
including the voluntary and community sector and
faith based organisations, to ensure there is “no
wrong door” for young people who need
personalised support.
Genuine efforts are made to understand the barriers
that young people have to overcome in order to
successfully engage in learning or employment.
Young people’s views are always valued and
professionals treat them as individuals.
A culture of continuous improvement exists in
those services that support those young people at
most risk.
Access to personalised support is provided within the
wider context of young people accessing services
generally (e.g. health, leisure, sport, culture).
Financial support is available to those young people
that need it in order to successfully engage in
learning or employment.
There have been improvements in the transport
arrangements to enable young people, especially
those in rural areas, to access learning and
employment.
All those young people with multiple or complex
needs have an assigned “key worker”, drawn from
the most appropriate support agency. In many cases
this person also takes on the “lead professional” role
to ensure support is effectively planned,
coordinated and reviewed.
8
Theme 5
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Aims
a) To extend the volume, range and quality of
sustainable employment opportunities, with
suitably accredited training for young people.
b) To provide employers with the necessary
support and encouragement to successfully
recruit young people into their workforce
What must happen within the next three years?
There is an effective employer engagement strategy
in place across all partners to ensure that employers’
time and resources are being maximised in
supporting young people.
There is an increase in the number and range of
employers offering high quality work experience, job
tasters, training and employment opportunities to
young people.
There is a comprehensive offer of apprenticeship
opportunities available to young people throughout
the county in all the key employment sectors.
9
The larger employers in the county, are setting the
best possible example through their positive
employment practices and the way they influence
and support their supply chain. The new Unitary
Council for Northumberland should be an exemplar
in this respect as the largest employer in the county.
Schemes to incentivise small employers to employ
young people and implement tailored apprenticeship
programmes have been developed.
A variety of employment routes for young people
with specific needs are available, secured through an
enhanced understanding of and commitment to this
group and increased support from key workers to
both the young person and the employer.
There is an increase in the range and availability
of specific sector-based pathways and
progression routes to employment within the
14-19 curriculum offer.
Self employment is a realistic pathway for young
people and is a key part of learning programmes.
Theme 6
PARTNERSHIP WORKING
Aim
To develop an effective partnership approach to
the ownership and implementation of Whatever
it Takes. This will involve identifying and
prioritising contributions to the achievement of
these objectives within the plans of all key
partnerships and partner organisations, both at
a county level and locally.
Young people’s needs are also being met by activities
that support the adult employability agenda.
This includes joint working with the Removing
Barriers to Work Partnership, Tyne and Wear City
Region Employment Consortium and locality based
employability projects.
Perceptions about young people in some instances,
amongst employers and the general public, turn from
negative to positive. This results in greater
community and employer support for individuals
to enable them to reach their full potential.
What must happen within the next three years?
Leadership from key partners in the county has
increased the impact of working together to make a
difference to the support and opportunities available
to young people.
Simple and straightforward communication
mechanisms on EET issues operate across
partnerships.
Partners recognise the contribution of their
organisations at all levels through training,
awareness raising and their own employment
practices. All partners understand and value the
contribution of each other, including the voluntary
and community sector.
Support to young people is set within the wider
strategic context, including the Regional Economic
Strategy, Sustainable Community Strategy, Learning
for Life, the 2020 Vision for Learning in
Northumberland, Children and Young People’s Plan,
the 14-19 Strategy, Integrated Youth Services, and
organisational service plans.
What Next?
The scale and importance of these
challenges should not be underestimated,
but failure to act will be catastrophic for
many individuals, families and communities
– and for the economy of Northumberland.
As partners who support communities, we
can only effectively address these issues if
we are all fully committed to this strategy
and align our priorities and actions to meet
the pledge and realise the vision.
Effective collaboration between all partners
in Northumberland, can significantly
increase the number of young people in the
county who progress into the most
appropriate forms of learning, achieve
success and make a smooth transition into
adult life. To assess your contribution to
Whatever it Takes turn the page....
10
Whatever it takes...checklist
The strategy sets out a range of priorities and objectives, this checklist can be used in two ways:
1
To help you to assess and challenge your own
organisation’s contribution in supporting young
people in the county.
2
To use with your partners in local networks to
support continuous improvement and joined up
action.
You might find that you are already doing a great deal and you might find new areas that you could develop in future.
Either way, there are Partnerships in the county who can help with different elements of the strategy. Contact details are
listed on the following pages.
The three year strategy sets out how partner organisations in Northumberland are being challenged to work
collaboratively to drive up the number of young people who are successfully engaged in Education, Employment and
Training (EET).
As already pointed out, at any time during the year over 900 young people in Northumberland between the ages of
16 and 18 are not engaged in any form of education, employment or training. While the reasons for this are many
and varied, there is no doubt that many of these young people will be seriously disadvantaged as they progress into the
labour market and into adult life generally – and that the county could face major economic and skill shortage problems
in the future unless there is a concerted effort to improve this situation.
All key partners in Northumberland are now asked to work through the following checklist to benchmark current working
practices against the strategy and to aid continuous improvement. This quick checklist can identify areas for
improvement, celebrate what you already do and signpost future development, and in some cases it may even be a
prompt to review those all important strategic aims!
Question 1: How does your organisation relate to the Whatever it Takes Vision and young people’s
pledge? For example - your organisation’s vision, mission statement and strategy
Question 2: Thinking about the priority issues, what are your answers to these questions?
1. How are you preventing young people from disengaging in the first place?
2. How are you ensuring that successful practice is sustained as mainstream provision?
3. How are you supporting those young people with acute needs (e.g. those with disabilities or mental health
problems, looked after children, carers and young parents)?
11
4. What methods are you using to involve young people in the development your service?
5. How are you challenging the negative perceptions of young people that some adults, including employers, currently have?
6. How will you ensure that this strategy benefits all young people, regardless of their background, location and personal
circumstances?
7. How are you capitalising on the strengths of the voluntary and community sector?
Question 3: Thinking about key themes of the strategy, what activities are you currently involved in
and what do you think works well?
Starting Early
Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG)
Learning Provision
Personalised Support
Employment Opportunities
Partnership Working
Whatever it takes Young People’s Education, Employment and Training Strategy for Northumberland 2008-2011
12
Question 4: How will you do things differently to ensure closer alignment with the strategy?
Starting Early
Information, Advice and Guidance (IAG)
Learning Provision
Personalised Support
Employment Opportunities
Partnership Working
Question 5: What help and support do you need to realise your plans?
Support
Who can help you?
Information
Resources: Human/revenue
Networking/partner support
Training
Other
There are organisations here in Northumberland that you might wish to
contact to discuss particular needs or who may be able to signpost you to
others who can assist you. As a starting point you can contact the FACT, or NSP
for more information and assistance. Contact details are on the back page.
13
Your “Whatever it Takes” pledge
What is the one thing you are going to do to make a difference for young people?
How will you know how successful it has been?
Our Pledge:
We will know it’s been successful because:
How will you review your pledge over time?
Contact:
Organisation:
Date:
Please let us know about your contribution by emailing your checklist and/or Pledge to [email protected]
Electronic copies are available at www.nsp.org.uk
We’d like to share your Pledge with others to highlight your organisation’s contribution and assist planning
For example, we may use information to identify support needs or issues that organisations are highlighting in
general. All information will be treated confidentially. If you don’t want us to do so, then let us know.
Whatever it takes Young People’s Education, Employment and Training Strategy for Northumberland 2008-2011
14
Whatever it takes
Young People’s Education,
Employment and Training Strategy
for Northumberland 2008-2011
JEREMY CRIPPS
Northumberland County Council
County Hall, Morpeth NE61 2EF
T 01670 533 878
E [email protected]
W www.northumberland.gov.uk/fact
ROB STRETTLE
Northumberland Strategic Partnership
Unit 10 Telford Court, Morpeth
Northumberland NE61 2DB
T 01670 500 630
E [email protected]
W www.nsp.org.uk
Photos courtesy of
Connexions
Cheviot Homes
Northumberland College
Northumberland County Council
Northumberland Strategic Partnership
One NorthEast
Printed on environmentally friendly paper
This document is also available in digital format
Designed & produced by
Design 0191 284 9222